Abstract

This is a report of a study that aimed to identify and describe the special characteristics of business growth and growth stages of the companies in the field of welfare and healthcare services in the southern part of North Ostrobothnia, Finland. The report includes analysis on the special characteristics of welfare and healthcare service companies and their business environment, as well as owner-managers’ experiences on growth challenges and work-related well-being. The data consists of semi-structured thematic interviews among 12 owner-managers of small and medium-sized enterprises, who told the growth story of their company, identified the present growth stage of the company, and described their experiences of the critical events during early business growth. In addition, experiences related to work-related well-being of entrepreneurs and employers were identified. The data were analyses qualitatively using a research-based synthesis of the early growth stages of service companies as a reference framework.

The finding show that professional identity is typically strong in welfare and healthcare services, but there is a need to develop and strengthen business competence. Additionally, modifying marketing strategies is necessary due to the on-going welfare and healthcare reform that provides clients with a freedom to choose their service providers. Moreover, managers need to adopt an attitude that perceives continuous changes in the business environment as a natural part of business development. Regardless of external and systemic changes, managers need to remain capable and competent to develop business operations together with employees. Co-operation between companies and the public sector will be fruitful if owner-mangers perceive it as a complementary operation that benefits both parties as well as well-being of healthcare clients.

To promote business competences and entrepreneurial approach in companies, a self-evaluation tool for welfare and health companies (SoLKI) has been developed as part of the project. The tool is a response for the recognized need to support both the attitudinal and competence development among entrepreneurs as well as their employees.

This report is a part of the Booster for social and healthcare entrepreneurs (SoteYBoost) Project, administered by Oulu University of Applied Science. The microentrepreneurship research group MicroENTRE from Kerttu Saalasti Institute at the University of Oulu is responsible for the research conducted in the project. The European Social Fund through the Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment in North Ostrobothnia has funded the project. Other financiers of the project are the regions of Ylivieska, Nivala Haapajärvi and Haapavesi Siikalatva.